Machine for forming reenforcement supports



Sept. 11, 1928. Y 1,683,610

' T. H. ElcKHoFF MACHINE FOR FQRMING REENFORCEMENT SUPPORTS Filed May 19, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. ll, 1928. 1,683,610

T. H. EICKHOFF MACHINE FOR FORMING REENFORCEMENT SUPPORTS Filed May 19, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Spt. 11,Y 1928. 1,683,610

T. H. ElcKHoFF `MACHNE FOR FORMING REENFORQEMENT SUPPORTS Filed May 19, '1927 5 sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR Sept. l1, 1928. 1,683,610

T. H. ElcKHoFF MACHINE FOR FORMING REENFORCEMENT SUPPORTS med Mame, 1927 5 sheets-sheet '5 /N vE/v TOR Patented Sept. 1l, 1928.

UNITED-.STATES f N i 1,683,610 PATENT OFFICE..

THiEODQRE H. EICKHOFF, F CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO PITTSBURGH STEEL COMPANY, oF PITTSBURGH, PiaiNNsYLvANIA,V A coaPoiiATioN oF PENN- SYLVANIA.

VlIACHINE FOR FORMING REENFORCEMENT SUPPORTS.

Application filed May 19,

Another object of my invent-ionis to provide an improved form of machine for coiling wire about a nail or other' member.

One form of machine by which my invention may be practisedis shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is aside elevational view; Fig. 2 is a front elevationalview, looking from the left hand side of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sidev elevational view,on an enlarged scale, looking from the vcertain of the partsshown in Fig. 2, but `on lan enlarged. scale,and partially in section;` Fig. is a plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale; Fig. is a view taken ontheline VI-Vof Fig. 5, Fig. 7 is a view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the apparatus of 4, showing certain of the partsA in the positions occupied at the beginning of the coiling operation; Fig. 8 is a similar view showing positions of the' parts at the completion of a ceiling operation; Fig. 9 is a view showing the nailraised toejecting position, andFig. 10 is a. view of a nail containing an element as formed thereoiiby the vapparatus of the other figures.

Briefly stated, the invent-ion comprises means for feeding the nails, one by one, to a ceiling head; feeding wire; ceiling the forward end of said wire about the nail; bending and cutting the wire, and thereafter ejecting the nail.

The nail 11 (Fig. 10) may be of any usual form, but is preferably provided with a wide head, and with notches adjacent to its point. The coil 12 is wound thereon by means tobe hereinafter described and the notches prevent accidental slipping of the coil longitudinally of the nail. In usethelpoint of the. nail is placed against studding vorother framework and a wire strand or other reen- `left hand side of Fig. 2;Fig. 4 isa view of 1927. seriai-Nio, iaasss.

forcement member is interposed between-the turned-up end 13 of the coil and the head of the nail, whereupon the nailis driven into the studding and the wire strandiheld between the coil 12 and the head of the nail, the nail sliding throughthe coilas it is driven. These types of devices are commonly called furriig nails and a suflieient number is employed with" a wire mesh or the l like to properly support the saine.` Y

The machine is composed of a framework `14 in which is journaled a main shaft 15 that is driven through bevel gearing 16 `from a shaft 17 that in turn has connection through l bevel gears 18 with a suitable source of power (not shown). A verticallyv reciprocable head 20 is slidably supported uponV the framework 1,4; and carries a nail vfeeding plunger 21. The plunger 21 reciprocates in a nail supply chute 22 to neject nails downwardly from said chute. Nails are fed to the are suppliedfrom a feed box 211 (Fig. 2)

V chute 22 through spouts'234 to which the V-nails various types such as those employed in cony neetion with various well-known nailing inachines, the feeding mechanism being driven from the shaft 15 through a shaft 24and bevel gearing 2.5 in order to `deposit the nails,

one by one, beneath the feed plunger 21 whenV Y itis inits uppermost position. .y i

Nail-retaining fingers 26 )are pivotally mounted at their upper ends in the sides `of the chute 22 and have ,their lower ends n.-

turned to temporarily support each nail as A it falls beneaththe plunger 21. Springs 27 (Figs. 1 and 4) yieldably hold the lower ends of the fingers 26 in their inner positions, but when the plunger 21 descends, it forces a nail past the lower ends of the'ingers 26 and itself passes by such ends to carry the nail downward to ceiling position.

` rThe nail-feeding head 20 is reciprocated I by a lifting rod 28 whose upper threaded end extends loosely Vthrough an arm 2()a of the head 20 and is adjustably positioned therein by means of nuts 29 and 30, a spring 31 being to a link 32 whose lower end has connection with a lever '33.- The lever 33is pivote-d at 311 to the frame work 14 and carries a cami interposed between the nut 30 and are arm engaging roller 35that lies within a cam slot r lever 41 that carries a cam roller42.

2f j i 1,683,610

r2O kwill he reciprocated and the nails fed downwardly, one by one, from the chute 22. In vorder to support the lower end of the nails during their descent, and "while the coils l2 are being formed thereon, I provide a supporting plunger 38 (Fig. 4) that extendsloosely through a coiler39 which will be hereinafter described.

The'lower en'd of the plunger 38 has screw-threaded eonneetionwith an adjusting sleeve 40 to permit vertical adjustment "of the plunger togaccommodate'itto nails'of various lengths, so thatthe lower end of the plunger 2l and the upper end ofthe plunger 38 will have properly spaced relation with respect to one another. The adjusting sleeve 40y has screw-threaded connection witlr1 a 1e cam roller 42` is engaged by a cam 43 that is secured to the shaft 15, so that the plungers 2l and 38 will operate in proper synchronism to carry a nail to coilewinding position, and'to release the same after completion of the ceiling operation. A spring 45 (Fig. 3)

serves to hold the rollers 35 and 42 of the levers 33 and'41 in contact with their re- 'spective cams.L

j The wire from which the'spacing coils 12 are formed is represented (Figs. 2.and'4) by the reference numeral 47 and may be drawn from a', spool (not shown) or ,other suitable source.) The wire 'is advanced through straighteners 48" 'of suitable form, by feed rollers 49: and 59, and advanced stepbystep througha thimble or guide block 51, with its forward" end` some distance beyond the coilerI head 39, 'atjthe completion of each advance movement, asshown in Fig.l 7.

. The feedrolls 49 and 50 are driven from themshaft 15through acam disc 52 that is secured to'the rear face ofthegear wheel '37 and isprovidedwith a cani slot' 52fL that engages a camfroller 53 on a lever 54a which supportsalink 54 whose upper end has pivotal connection `with a rack bar 55. The

`rack bar`55 is reciprocated vertically during rotation of the shaft l5 and the cam disc 52,I` and impartsfoscillatory movement toa segmental gear: 56. The gear member 56 -(Fig. v6) has an extension `57 that carries three spring-held pawls 58ywh`ose teeth are yieldably held in contactwith the ratchet wheel; 59. The ratchet kwheel 59 is secured to a shaft 60 that carries -a gear wheel 61. The gear wheel 61 meshes with a gear wheel 62 that issecured to a shaft 63. The feed 'rolls49' and 50 arek respectively secured to 'thefshafts GOwand 63;

of feed which would not be possible `unless the ratchet teeth were made exceedingly tine. Assuming the ratchet teeth to have a pitch of -l-ft-.and three pawls oiset relative to one another for a distance of f, it will be possible to effect feeding adjustments'of a lineness of lq inch.

A bracket 65 (Fig. 4). is secured to the framework 14 and carries a cam-like plate 66 which engages the rear ends of the pawls 58 and is adjustable longitudinally. Dur-v ing oscillatory movements of the member 57 which carries the pawls 58, the rear ends of said pawls are slid back and `forth along the upper surface of the canrplates 66, and

the teeth. of the pawls are held vout of engagement with the ratchet teeth vuntil the inner ends of the vpawls approach the outer end ofthe plate 66which outer end is beveled, to permit the pawl teeth to move into engagement with the ratchet by the pressure of springs 58a. The position of the plate G6 therefore determines at what point during counter-clockwise movement of the member 57 the pawl will operatively engage the ratchet, and the amount of wire fed during one downward movement of the raclt bar 55 can thereby be regulated, it being understood y that on its upward movement the rack bar will cause the segmental gear 56 and its extension 57 to move in a clockwise direction,

and the pawls 58 to slide over theteeth of the ratchet 59. f

tlVhen advancing `movement hasbeen im-` parted to the wire, as above described, the

forward end thereof projects over the coiler head Z39-as shown more clearly inFi'gsfl llike extension 68 Fig. 4) of a gear wheel 69 that meshes with the-bevel gear wheel 37.

The coiler `head 39 is yieldably 4supported against downward movement by a springl whose lower yend is supportedupon an adjusting nut7 2. The nut has screw-threaded connection with an internal thread of the hub of the gear wheel 69, to permit of adjustment of the spring tension. i

` )Viren 4the forward end of the wire 47 is advanced to the position shown in Figs. 7 and 4, it is bent down into Contact with the coiling head 39, so as to he engaged by the stop lug 39, by a'iinger 73 (Figs. 3 and 4). The finger 7 3 is mounted upon a rock shaft 74 that has a crank-like extension 75 'whose lower end carries a cam roller 76 which is engaged by a cam 77 during each revolution of the shaft 15, to rock the shaft 74 and cause the fingery 73 to :depress the wire 47 to' the `position indicated by dotted lines inFig. V7.

so that it will be engaged by the stop 89a and coil around the nail 11.- The cam 77 is secured to the rear` face of the gear wheel 37.

It will be understood that while various of the parts just described have only intermittent movement, the coile-r 39 is constantly rotating, so that when the wire is depressed into engagement with the coiler, it will be immediately wound around the nail which is held between the plungers 2l and 38, the coiler head being forced downagainst the compression of the spring 71 as the winding progresses to the extent indicated in Fig. 8.

When the last turn of the wire has been completed, the stop 392 will idle around the lower portion of the coil until the coil has been severed fromthe main strand and the plungers 21 and 38 elevated.

In order to sever the coil from the main bodyof wire, provide a cutter arm 804 which is mounted .upon an oscillatory head 81. The head 81 has an extension 82 (Fig. 4) that has connectionnthrough an adjustable link structure 83 with a slide 84. The slide 84 carries a cam roller 85 whichis supported within` the camA slotA 52a in which the cam roller v53 for the rack bar 55 also lies `(rig. a).

When the wire has been advanced and coiled as above described, the parts are so timed that the cutter head 81 will be rocked from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig.' 8, to sever the wire andto form the bend'l in its upper end. The cutter is provided with a rounded projection or noseV as shown more clearly in Fig. 8 so that the upper portion of the coil is bent previousto being severed by' the knife edge of the rear of such nose portion. The cutter 80 is held in position upon its head -81 by screws or bolts 87 (Figs, Sfand- 7) and the heads of these bolts extendy such distance that they will engagea plate 89h that is carried on the upper end of the coiler 'hea-d, to prevent the knife 8O .from engaging the coiler head, and .injuring the same, as in cases where no wire is present to form a coil and cause the coiler head to move down Vimn-iediate'ly preceeding` actuation of the knife 80. In such cases,the bolt heads will blade from coming into contact with the f 'coiler head.

y At the completion of the ceiling and cutting-oit operation, the plungers 21 and 88 are moved upwardby their` respective cams, but the movement of the plunger 38 is somewhat slower than that of the plunger 3l',

so that the nail is released during upward movement of the head QOand its plunger 21. Apawl 88 that is pivotally mounted on the head Q0, engages the upper end of a nailejecting finger 89 which is pivotally mounted on the sideof the chute 22, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The linger has a'horizontally bent lower end 90 which is swung against the nail l1 to eject or throw the same clear of the machine, when the plunger 2l has risen to a point slightly above its full-line position in Fig. 9. Movement ot' the pawl 88 in a clockwise direction is limited by a stop 91, against which it is normally held by a spring 92. This arrangement permits the .pawl to descend past the upper end of the iinger 89 when the head 2O is descending, but rigidly supports the same against clockwise movement when ascending, sothat the finger 89 is positively actuated to eject the nail.

After ejection of the nail, there is still further lag` in upward movement of the plunger 387with respect tothe plunger 21,1- to permit the plunger 2l to rise suiiiciently far that another nail can tall beneath the same and be engaged by the plunger in its downward `movement, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 9, by the time the vplunger 38 has reached its'uppermost or nail-receiving position. rlhe ends'of the `nail are thereupon engaged by the plungers 2l and 38 and downward movement 'thereof to ceiling position begins.

I claim as my invention :--4 Y l. Apparatus comprising meansfcr feed# ing nails and supporting the same, means for positioning a wire in position to be coiled about said-nail, and means for ceiling said wire aboutthe nail. U Y

2. Apparatus comprising means for-feedsov ing nails and supportingkthe samemeans for advancing a wire'transversely of the nail, a c-oiler'head, and means for effecting engagement` between said coiler head and said wire to kcoil the wire about the nail.

Apparatus comprising means for teeding nails andsupporting the same, means for advancing a wire, a coiler head, means for effecting engagement between the wirev and the headto coil the wire about the nail, and means tor severingthe coil so formed from the main body of wire.

Il. Apparatus comprising means for eed-` ing nails and supporting the same, means for advancing a wire, a coller head, means for eiiecting engagement between the'wire p and the head to coil the wire about the nail, and means jfor severing the coil so formed from the main body of wire and i'or bending that end of the coil adjacent to the point or.

severance to cause the same to extend inj the same general direction the nail butV in spaced relation to the shank ci the nail.

o. Apparatus comprisingmeans for feeding nails, means for intermittently advanei ing a wire strand, means for ceiling,the/forward end of said strand about a Vnail and means for severing thee-oil so formed from the said strand. f y

6. Apparatus comprising axiallyspaced` phingermjmeans for placingnails in position to beengaged by` said plunger-s, means for advancing a wire strand between'y said plungers, and a coiler head for twistingthe said wire about the nail. t

7. Apparatus comprising axially spaced plungers, means `for placing nails in position to be engaged by said plungers, means for advancing a wire strand between said plungeis, a coiler head disposed coaxially of said plungers, in position to engage and twist the said Y`wire about the nail4 and means permitting movementIctl said head longitudinally of the nail during ceiling of the wire.

8.` Apparatus comprising a plunger for engaging one end of a nail, aisecond plunger for engaging the other Aend of the nail vto `support the saine, means for positioning a wire, and a coileriliead for twisting said wire about thciiail.'

9. The combination with a nail. chute, of a plunger-movable past the lower end of said chute, a second plunger disposed in parallelism with thetirst-named plunger in position to engage nails advanced from said chute by the first-named plunger, means for advancing a wire between adjacent ends of said plungers and a coiling device 'forrwrapping the wire around thenail.

10. .The combination with a nail chute, of a4 plunger movable past the lower end of said,4 chute, a second plunger disposed in parallelism with the first-named plunger in position to engage nails advanced from said chiiteby the lirst-namcd plunger, means for advancing a wire between adjacent ends of said plungers, and a ceiling device surrounding one ot said plungers in position to engage and wrap the wire around the nail.

l1. vThecombination with a nail chute, of a plunger movable past the lower end of said chute, a second plunger disposed in parallelism with the first-named plunger in position to engage nails advanced from said chute by the first-named plunger, means for advancing a wire between adjacentends of said piungers, a ceiling device surrounding one of said `fplungers in position to engage and wrap the Wire around the nail, and means permitting axial movement of the coiling device Vrelative to the said plungers during the coiling operation.

" 12. The combination with a fnail chute, oft a plunger movable past the lower end of said chute, a second plunger disposed in parallelism with tlieutirst-niinied plunger in position to'engage nails advanced from said chiite by the first-named plunger, means for .'idvancinfr a wire between adjacent ends of ysaid plungers, -a ceiling device surrounding oneot said plnngers in position to engageand wrap the wire around the nail. means permitting axial movement of th( ceiling device relative to the said plungers during the coiling operation. and means for severing the coil `fronrsaid strand at the completion of a ceiling operation.

13. The combination with a nail chute, of a plunger movable past the lower end of said chute, a second plunger disposed in parallelism with the first-named plunger in position to engage nails advanced from saidchute by the iirst-nained plunver, means for advancing a wire between adjacent ends ot said plungers, a coilingdevice surrounding one of said plungers in position to engage and wrap the wire around the nail, means per mitting axial movement of the coiling device during the' coilino' operation, means for severing the coil 'rom said strand 4at the completion of a ceiling operation, and means ior effecting movement of one of said plungers to release the nail after the ceiling operation. A

14. The combination with a nail chute, of a plunger movable past the lower end of said chute, a second plunger disposed in parallelism with the first-named Iplunger kin 1 position to engage nails advanced irom said chute by the first-named plunger, means for advancing a wire between adjacent ends of` said-plungers, a coiling device surroundingr one ot' said plungers in position to engage n and wrap .the wire around the nail, means permitting axial movement of the coiling device during the coiling operation, means for severing the coil from said strand at the completion of a ceiling operation, means for il electing movement of one of Said plungers to release the nail after the ceiling operation,

and means controlled by said" )lungerfor ejecting` the nail from between t e plungers.

15. The combination ywith ceilingr appa ratus, of means for advancing a wire to be coiled, a. vertically movable plunger; means for positioning anail inv frontof said plunger, a. second plunger, means Vfor moving said second plunger into position to engage lthe other end of said nail, and means for moving said plungers to bring the nail into proximity with the ceiling head and the wire to nail.

permit ceiling ofy the wire about the 16. The combination with means .for po'yi i sitioning a wire, and a ceiling device therefor, of an airially movable plunger, means for positioning a nail 11n front of said iis plunger and in axial alineinent therewith,

a second plunger axially'movable with respect to the first-named plunger, and means for imparting relative laxial movements to said plungers in order to alternately engage wire nails upon which coils are to be formed. In testimony whereof I the said Tmzonoiin H. EICKHorF. have hereunto set my hand.V

THEODORE H. EICKHOFF. 

